Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pet training in elimination habits and relates to providing increased sanitation and reduced odor while providing a pet an indoor location for its elimination needs. The present invention also relates to providing positive reinforcement to a pet when it practices good elimination habits in the absence of its owner.
Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 8,336,494 to McElroy discloses a pet waste device whereby a pet must urinate on an absorbable sheet material atop electrical conductors. If liquid reaches the underlying electrical conductors, a circuit may cause a nearby treat-containing compartment to open, thereby providing the pet an edible treat as a reward for urinating in the right spot. However, the approach of McElroy has both use and manufacture shortcomings. First, there must be adequate space for the pet and the pet may eliminate anywhere upon the sheet; accordingly, the sheet must therefore be large in relation to the pet. Second, consequently, the electrical conductor array, preferably stainless steel, must be manufactured to be as large as the sheet so that a rewardable urination event is not missed. Third, the approach of McElroy limits the number of events that may be rewarded to the number of compartments of the treat container. Fourth, as a pet uses the sheet, its urine may pool and flow to its feet prior to being absorbed by the sheet, creating an unhygienic situation for the pet and unpleasant tracking of urine outside the device. Fifth, cleanup of the McElroy device requires either direct handling of the saturated sheet or a saturated roll of sheet material. Finally, many pets may balk at eliminating on paper and are more comfortable with a feel of turf underfoot.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,233 to Dukes et al. discloses a urine sensing grid set atop a tray whereby a pet's urination on the grid is detected and a notification is sent to the pet's owner to empty the tray. As with McElroy, the Dukes device is complicated to manufacture, requiring a plurality of electrodes at each grid aperture.
Accordingly, there is a need to overcome the shortcomings of prior devices to further advance caring for and training pets in a dedicated limited spaces including, for example, small homes, apartments, condos, townhomes, dorm rooms and other limited indoor areas.